Skip to main content

The emotions aroused by a vocational transition in adolescents: why, when and how are they socially shared with significant others?

Abstract

Adolescents (N = 359) completed a self-report questionnaire assessing the emotional impact of an anticipated transition, their social-sharing modes, the motives and benefits of sharing, and their relationship intimacy with significant others. Partners and motives of vocational sharing depended on the transition’s valence. The intensity of negative emotions and perceived intimacy were positively related to frequency and depth of vocational sharing; intensity of positive emotions and intrapersonal and interpersonal benefits only with the depth of sharing. The links between the quality of relationships with significant others, emotions, social sharing, the management of vocational transitions and career development are discussed.

Résumé

Les émotions suscitées à l'adolescence par une transition scolaire et professionnelle : Pourquoi, quand et comment sont-elles socialement partagées avec des personnes significatives ? Les adolescents (N = 359) ont rempli un questionnaire évaluant l'impact émotionnel d'une transition anticipée, leurs modes de partage social, les motifs et bénéfices de ce partage, et leur intimité relationnelle avec les autruis significatifs. Les partenaires et les motifs de partage dépendent de la valence de la transition. L'intensité des émotions négatives et l'intimité perçue sont positivement liées à la fréquence et à la profondeur du partage ; l'intensité des émotions positives et les bénéfices intrapersonnels et interpersonnels ne sont liés qu’à la profondeur du partage. Les liens entre la qualité des relations avec les autruis significatifs, les émotions, le partage social, l'adaptation aux transitions scolaires et professionnelles et le développement de carrière sont discutés.

Zusammenfasung

Ausgelöste Emotionen während des beruflichen Übergangs von Jugendlichen : Warum, wann und wie werden sie mit Bezugspersonen geteilt ? Jugendliche (N = 359) füllten einen Selbsteinschätzungsfragebogen aus, der folgende Aspekte beurteilte: die emotionale Wirkung eines vorstehenden Übergangs, die Modalitäten ihres (der Jugendlichen) sozialen Teilens, die Beweggründe und Vorteile des Teilens, und deren Beziehungsintimität mit Bezugspersonen. Mit wem (Partner) und warum (Beweggründe) berufsbezogene Themen geteilt wurden, hing von der Valenz des berufl. Übergangs ab. Die Intensität von negativen Gefühlen und die wahrgenommene Intimität hingen positiv mit Frequenz und Tiefgründigkeit des Teilens von berufsbezogenen Themen zusammen; die Intensität von positiven Gefühlen und intrapersonale und zwischenmenschliche Vorteile hingen nur mit der Tiefgründigkeit des Teilens zusammen. Die Zusammenhänge zwischen der Qualität von Beziehungen mit Bezugspersonen, Gefühlen, sozialem Teilen, dem Handhaben von beruflichen Übergängen und Laufbahnentwicklung werden diskutiert.

Resumen

Las emociones despertadas por una transición profesional en los adolescents. Por qué, cuando y como son socialmente compartidas con otras personas importantes. Una muestra de 359 adolescentes completaron un cuestionario de auto-evaluación valorando el impacto emocional de una transición anticipada, sus modos de compartir comunicación, los motivos y beneficios de compartirla y las relaciones íntimas con sus personas significativas. Los compañeros y los motivos de compartir sus emociones profesionales dependían de la valencia de la transición. La intensidad de las emociones negativas y la intimidad percibida se relacionaban positivamente con la frecuencia y profundidad de lo profesionalmente compartido; la intensidad de las emociones positivas y los beneficios intrapersonales e interpersonales solamente se relacionaban con la profundidad de lo compartido. Finalmente se analizan los vínculos entre la calidad de las relaciones con las personas significativas, las emociones, las redes sociales, la gestión de la transición profesional y el desarrollo de la carrera.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

References

  • Berger, J. (2011). Arousal increases social transmission of information. Psychological Science, 22, 891–893. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797611413294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blustein, D. L. (2011). A relational theory of working. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 79, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2010.10.004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blustein, D. L., Prezioso, M. S., & Palladino Schultheiss, D. (1995). Attachment theory and career development. Current status and future directions. The Counseling Psychologist, 23, 416–432. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000095233002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blustein, D. L., Wallbridge, M. M., Friedlander, M. L., & Palladino, D. E. (1991). Contributions of psychological separation and parental attachment to career development process. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 38, 39–50. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.38.1.39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Booth-LaForce, C., & Kerns, K. A. (2009). Child-parent attachment relationships, peer relationships, and peer-group functioning. In K. H. Rubin, W. M. Bukowski, & B. Laursen (Eds.), Handbook of peer interactions, relationships, and groups (pp. 490–507). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowlby, J. (1978). Attachement et perte: Vol 1. l’attachement [Attachment and loss: Vol 1. Attachment] (2nd ed.). Paris, France: PUF.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowlby, J. (1982). Attachment (2nd ed.). New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brislin, R. W. (1986). The wording and translation of research instruments. In W. Lonner & J. Berry (Eds.), Fields methods in cross-cultural research (pp. 137–164). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bruner, J. (1990). Acts of meaning. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryant, B. K., Zvontkovic, A. M., & Reynolds, P. (2006). Parenting in relation to child and adolescents’ vocational development. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 69, 149–175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2006.02.004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buhrmester, D., & Prager, K. (1995). Patterns and functions of self-disclosure during childhood and adolescence. In K. J. Rotenberg (Ed.), Cambridge studies in social and emotional development. Disclosure processes in children and adolescents (pp. 10–56). New York: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511527746.002.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Campos, J. J., & Stenberg, C. (1981). Perception, appraisal, and emotion: The onset of social referencing. In M. E. Lamb & L. R. Sherrod (Eds.), Infant social cognition: Empirical and theoretical considerations (pp. 273–314). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cantril, H. (1950). The why of man’s experience. New York: MacMillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carver, C. S., & Scheirer, M. F. (1990). Origins and functions of positive and negative affect: A control-process view. Psychological Review, 97, 19–35. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.97.1.19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carver, C. S., & Scheirer, M. F. (2001). On the self-regulation of behaviour. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Curci, A., & Rimé, B. (2012). The temporal evolution of social sharing of emotions and its consequences on emotional recovery: A longitudinal study. Emotion, 12, 1404–1414. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0028651.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delfosse, C., Nils, F., Lasserre, S., & Rimé, B. (2004). Les motifs allégués du partage social et de la rumination mentale des émotions comparaison des épisodes positifs et négatifs [Alleged motives for social sharing and mental rumination of emotions: A comparison of positive and negative episodes]. Les cahiers internationaux de psychologie sociale, 4, 35–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Derks, D., Fisher, A. H., & Bos, A. E. (2008). The role of emotion in computer-mediatied communication: A review. Computers in Human Behavior, 24, 766–785. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2007.04.004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Di Fabio, A., & Kenny, M. E. (2015). The contributions of emotional intelligence and social support for adaptive career progress among Italian youth. Journal of Career Development, 42, 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894845314533420.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dietrich, J., Jokisaari, M., & Nurmi, J. E. (2012). Work-related goal appraisals and stress during the transition from education to work. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 80(1), 82–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2011.07.004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dietrich, J., & Kracke, B. (2009). Career-specific parental behaviors in adolescents’ development. Journal of Vocational Behaviour, 75, 109–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2009.03.005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duchesne, S., Ratelle, C. F., Poitras, S. C., & Drouin, E. (2009). Early adolescent attachment to parents, emotional problems, and teacher-academic worries about the middle school transition. Journal of Early Adolescence, 29, 743–766. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272431608325502.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duprez, C., Christophe, V., Rimé, B., Congard, A., & Antoine, P. (2015). Motives for the social sharing of an emotional experience. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 32, 757–787. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407514548393.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fuenzalida, C., Emde, R. N., Pannabecker, B. J., & Stenberg, C. (1981). Validation of the Differential Emotions Scale in 613 Mothers. Motivation and Emotion, 5, 37–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gable, S. L., Reis, H. T., Impett, E. A., & Asher, E. R. (2004). What do you do when things go right? The intrapersonal and interpersonal benefits of sharing positive events. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 87, 228–245. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.87.2.228.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gross, J. J., & Levenson, R. W. (1995). Emotion elicitation using films. Cognition and Emotion, 9, 87–108. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699939508408966.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grotevant, H. C., & Cooper, C. (1985). Patterns of interaction in family relationships and the development of identity exploration in adolescence. Child Development, 56, 415–428. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315827063.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harlow, H. F., & Suomi, S. J. (1970). Nature of love: Simplified. American Psychologist, 25, 161–168. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0029383.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hartung, P. J. (2011). Barrier or benefit? Emotion in life-career design. Journal of Career Assessment, 19, 296–305. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069072710395536.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holodynski, M. (2017). Comment: Reframing the conceptual diversity of social appraisal and social referencing. Emotion Review, 9, 265–267. https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073916669598.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunter, F. T. (1985). Adolescents’ perception of discussions with parents and friends. Developmental Psychology, 21, 433–440. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.21.3.433.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunter, F. T., & Youniss, J. (1982). Changes in functions of three relations during adolescence. Developmental Psychology, 18, 806–811. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.18.6.806.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Izard, C. E., Dougherty, F. E., Bloxom, B. M., & Kotsch, N. E. (1974). The differential emotions scale: A method of measuring the subjective experience of discrete emotions. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Janoff-Bulman, R. (1992). Shattered assumptions: Towards a new psychology of trauma. New York: Free Press. https://doi.org/10.1080/00029157.1994.10403078.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, G. A. (1955). A theory of personality: A psychology of personal construct. New York: Norton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kenny, M. E. (1990). College’s senior perception of parental attachments: The value and stability of family ties. Journal of College Student Development, 31, 39–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ketterson, T. U., & Blustein, D. L. (1997). Attachment relationships and the career exploration process. Career Development Quarterly, 46, 167–178. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-0045.1997.tb01003.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kon, I. S., & Losenkov, V. A. (1978). Friendship in adolescence: Values and behavior. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 40(1), 143–155. https://doi.org/10.2307/350615.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Larose, S., & Boivin, M. (1998). Attachment to parents, social support expectations, and socioemotional adjustment during the high school-college transition. Journal of Research Adolescence, 8, 1–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laurenceau, J. P., Feldman Barrett, L., & Pietromonaco, P. R. (1998). Intimacy as an interpersonal process: The importance of self-disclosure, partner disclosure, and perceived partner responsiveness in interpersonal exchanges. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 1238–1251.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luminet, O., Bouts, P., Delie, F., Manstead, A. S., & Rimé, B. (2000). Social sharing of emotion following exposure to a negatively valenced situation. Cognition and Emotion, 14, 661–688. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699930050117666.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mandler, G. (1984). Mind and body: Psychology of emotion and stress. New York: Norton.

    Google Scholar 

  • McHugo, G. J., Smith, C. A., & Lanzetta, J. T. (1982). The structure of self-reports of emotional responses to film segments. Motivation & Emotion, 6, 365–385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nils, F. (2003). Le partage social des émotions déterminants interpersonnels de l’efficacité de la communication des épisodes émotionnels. [The social sharing of emotions: Interpersonal determinants of the efficacy of emotional episodes’ communication]. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain, Belgique.

  • Nils, F., & Rimé, B. (2012). Beyond the myth of venting: Social sharing modes determine the benefits of emotional disclosure. European Journal of Social Psychology, 42, 672–681. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.1880.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nurmi, J. E. (2004). Socialization and self-development: Channeling, selection, adjustment and reflection. In R. Lerner & L. Steinberg (Eds.), Handbook of adolescent psychology (pp. 85–124). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nurmi, J. E., Salmela-Aro, K., & Koivisto, P. (2002). Goal importance and related achievement beliefs and emotions during the transition from vocational school to work: Antecedents and consequences. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 60, 241–261. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.2001.1866.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Palmer, S., & Cochran, L. (1988). Parents as agents of career development. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 35, 71–76. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.35.1.71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Papini, D. R., & Rogman, L. A. (1992). Adolescent perceived attachment to parents in relation to competence, depression and anxiety: A longitudinal study. Journal of Early Adolescence, 12, 420–440. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272431692012004005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Philippot, P. (1993). Inducing and assessing differentiated emotion-feeling states in the laboratory. Cognition and Emotion, 7, 171–193. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699939308409183.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rimé, B. (1989). Le partage social des émotions. [The social sharing of emotions]. In B. Rimé & K. Scherer (Eds.), Les émotions (pp. 271–303). Neuchâtel, Suisse: Delachaux et Niestlé.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rimé, B. (2005). Le partage social des émotions [The social sharing of emotions]. Paris, France: PUF.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rimé, B. (2009). Emotion elicits the social sharing of emotion: Theory and empirical review. Emotion Review, 1, 60–85. https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073908097189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rimé, B., Bouchat, P., Paquot, L., & Giglio, L. (2019). Intrapersonal, interpersonal and social outcomes of the social sharing of emotion. Current Opinions in Psychology, 31, 127–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rimé, B., Finkenauer, C., Luminet, O., Zech, E., & Philippot, P. (1998). Social sharing of emotion: New evidence and new questions. In W. Stroebe & M. Hewstone (Eds.), European review of social psychology (Vol. 9, pp. 145–189). Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1080/14792779843000072.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Rimé, B., Mesquita, B., Philippot, P., & Boca, S. (1991). Beyond the emotional event: Six studies on the social sharing of emotion. Cognition and Emotion, 5, 435–465. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699939108411052.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rimé, B., Philippot, P., Boca, S., & Mesquita, B. (1992). Long lasting cognitive and social consequences of emotion : Social sharing and rumination. In W. Stroebe & M. Hewstone (Eds.), European review of social psychology (Vol. 3, pp. 225–258). Chichester, UK: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rose, A. J. (2002). Co-rumination in the friendships of girls and boys. Child Development, 73, 1830–1843. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00509.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Savickas, M., & Pouyaud, J. (2016). Concevoir et construire sa vie: Un modèle général pour l’accompagnement en orientation au XXIème siècle [Life design: A general model for career intervention in the 21st century]. Psychologie Française, 61, 5–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psfr.2013.11.003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schachter, S. (1959). The psychology of affiliation: Experimental studies of the sources of gregariousness (Vol. 1). Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schlossberg, N. K. (2005). Counseling adults in transition: Linking practice with theory. Berlin, Germany: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schultheiss-Palladino, D. E., & Blustein, D. L. (1994). Role of adolescent–parent relationships in college student development and adjustment. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 41, 248–255. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.41.2.248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharf, R. S. (2013). Advances in theories of career development. In W. B. Walsh, M. L. Savickas, & P. J. Hartung (Eds.), Handbook of vocational psychology (4th ed., pp. 3–32). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thoits, P. A. (1984). Coping, social support, and psychological outcomes. In P. Shavers (Ed.), Review of Personality and Social Psychology (Vol. 5, pp. 219–238). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, S. C., & Janigian, A. S. (1988). Life schemes: A framework for understanding the search for meaning. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 7, 260–280. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.1988.7.2-3.260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vallerand, R. J. (1989). Vers une méthodologie de validation transculturelle de questionnaires psychologiques: Implications pour la recherche en langue française [Towards a transcultural validation methodology for psychological questionnaires: Implications for French language research]. Psychologie Canadienne, 30, 662–689. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0079856.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vasalampi, K., Salmela-Aro, K., & Nurmi, J. E. (2010). Education-related goal appraisals and self-esteem during the transition to secondary education: A longitudinal study. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 34(6), 481–490. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025409359888.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vignoli, E. (2009). Inter-relationships among attachment to mother and father, self-esteem, and career indecision. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 75, 91–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2009.04.007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vignoli, E. (2011). Les décisions d’orientation scolaire à l’adolescence: Avec qui partager ses expériences émotionnelles, comment et pourquoi ? [College vocational decisions during adolescence: How, why and with whom sharing emotional experiences?]. Enfance, 4, 465–496.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vignoli, E., & Mallet, P. (2012). Les peurs des adolescents concernant leur avenir scolaire et professionnel: Structure et variations selon le niveau scolaire, le sexe et la classe sociale [Adolescents’ fears about their school and career future: Structure and variations across academic level, sex, and social class.]. Cahiers Internationaux de Psychologie Sociale, 94, 249–283.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vignoli, E., Nils, F., & Rimé, B. (2005). Partage social d’un épisode émotionnel d’orientation scolaire: L’avis du conseil de classe chez les adolescents de troisième [Social sharing of a vocational emotional episode: The class council opinion among third grade adolescents]. L’orientation scolaire et professionnelle, 34, 323–336.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Young, R. A., Marshall, S. K., Domene, J. F., Graham, M., Logan, C., Zaidman-Zait, A., & Lee, C. M. (2008). Transition to adulthood as a parent-youth project: Governance transfer, career promotion, and relational processes. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 55, 297–307. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.55.3.297.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Youngstrom, E. A., & Green, K. W. (2003). Reliability generalization of self-report of emotions when using the Differential Emotions Scale. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 63, 279–295. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013164403253226.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zech, E., & Rimé, B. (2005). Is talking about an emotional experience helpful? Effects on emotional recovery and perceived benefits. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy: An International Journal of Theory & Practice, 12, 270–287. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.460.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Emmanuelle Vignoli.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Vignoli, E., Nils, F., Parmentier, M. et al. The emotions aroused by a vocational transition in adolescents: why, when and how are they socially shared with significant others?. Int J Educ Vocat Guidance 20, 567–589 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-019-09417-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-019-09417-z

Keywords